250 Tamils arrested Monday in Colombo region

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 June 2008, 02:44 GMT]Police arrested more than 250 persons in a search conducted Monday in Colombo, Avissawela, Buwakpitiya, Peliyagoda and Gampaha, Sri Lanka police spokesman and Senior Police Commissioner Ranjith Gunasekara said. Persons from outstations without documents of identification and proper reason for their stay were arrested, he said. More than 220 Tamils have been arrested in Avissawela and Buwakpitiya areas.

A large scale search from Sunday night to Monday noon was launched in Colombo, Avisawela, Buwakpitiya, Peliyagoda and Gampaha.

Buses and vehicles of suspicion passing through the check posts at the entry points to Colombo and passengers were subjected to strict check up and those who failed to prove their identity were taken into custody.

Persons employed in Avissawela Trade Zone were the majority of those arrested in Avissawela.

30 persons in Gampaha, and 20 in Peliyagoda police divisions arrested on suspicion are being interrogated by police officers of the respective divisions, the Police Commissioner said.